Belfast Town Hall...and its flag

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Having sought advice from both forum moderators and highly respected forum members first, I have decided to make this posting.

Belfast town hall will now no longer fly the Union flag every day of the year, but only on certain specified days. The decicision to revoke the old standing order decision has led to unrest in parts of that city. The decision reached in Belfast would appear to tally with other large town halls, such as Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester to name but three.

Have any of the forum members any comment to make upon this matter ?

 

[kylemore]

Having sought advice from both forum moderators and highly respected forum members first, I have decided to make this posting.

Belfast town hall will now no longer fly the Union flag every day of the year, but only on certain specified days. The decicision to revoke the old standing order decision has led to unrest in parts of that city. The decision reached in Belfast would appear to tally with other large town halls, such as Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester to name but three.

Have any of the forum members any comment to make upon this matter ?

I don't think "tallying" with Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester was uppermost in the minds of those pressing for this!

 

[CallySleeper]

As a (loyalist) local, I find this disappointing. In some ways I can understand it as it has probably been influenced by a nationalist majority on the council, and naturally loyalists aren't happy about it, prompting the violence (which I don't condone). However, dispute or not, the identity of Belfast and NI will remain within the UK. What the council is trying to do I think is restrict displaying this identity, not to necessarily make it more republican but certainly more neutral, which is why so many loyalists have been angered by it.

 

[ReverendFozz]

I think this goes a bit deeper than tallying with other Town/City Halls, given Belfasts history I would say it is a move to appease Nationalists.

Such a shame because Belfast is a lovely place as is N.Ireland in general

Sent by Comrade Marxista Fozzski

 

[Butts]

Well in Scotland Government Buildings often Fly the Union Flag and St Andrews Cross in tandem with no apparent problems.

 

[Geezertronic]

Does Belfast and the English cities fly a flag in it's place or non at all? What's the explanation for the English cities not flying it?

 

[starrymarkb]

Exeter flies various flags outside the Civic Centre. Not sure about County Hall (I think they fly Devon and Union but haven't been that way to look)

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The PSNI Chief Constable, Mark Baggott, has made a statement stating that the adherence to a flag is no excuse for the violence that has surrounded the protests.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

A perfect example of why you let sleeping dogs lie. As a loyalist with NI heritage, I don't condone the violence either, but the authorities are either stupid or just damn fools if they didn't see such a reaction coming, and if they did why did they then do it in such a manner?

 

[Butts]

The PSNI Chief Constable, Mark Baggott, has made a statement stating that the adherence to a flag is no excuse for the violence that has surrounded the protests.

Well any sane person could not disagree with these sentiments.

 

[RochdalePioneers]

How about flying St Patrick's Saltire instead?

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[starrymarkb]

A perfect example of why you let sleeping dogs lie. As a loyalist with NI heritage, I don't condone the violence either, but the authorities are either stupid or just damn fools if they didn't see such a reaction coming, and if they did why did they then do it in such a manner?

But should democracy pander to this minority of thugs?

 

[Butts]

But should democracy pander to this minority of thugs?

What if Democracy is the embodiment of the previous UVF/IRA thugs ?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I see that Hilary Clinton is visiting the area today. I wonder what her advisers have told her what has occurred over the last two days and how to react to this with any statement she makes to the local press, who will want to elicit a reaction from her.

 

[Eagle]

How about flying St Patrick's Saltire instead?

Because it's rather associated with the Church of Ireland (so could annoy both Catholics and Presbyterians).

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Civilisation and democracy took a step backwards with the death threat issued against the female member of the Alliance party, with Hilary Clinton making comments about this matter and the associated violence during her visit there.

 

[Greenback]

Wasn't it in the ITV series Sharpe that a flag was referred to as 'a rag on pole'?

Of course, it isn't really a flag that is the issue here. It is the perception that one 'side' is being pandered to over the other. I see it as a compromise, so that the Union flag is not flown every day as it has been, which will be welcomed by Nationalists, but still flying it on certain days, which should go some way to pleasing Unionists.

Naturally, as with all compromises there will be many people annoyed that this decision has been made, and it is usually the extremists on both sides that will lead the way with their protests and violence. Meanwhile, the majority of people will just want to get on with their day to day lives in peace.

 

[12CSVT]

One way you could sum up the situation

If the Union Flag and Irish Tricolour were flown side by side it would appease moderates on both sides but antagonise extremists on both sides. (Anybody whose views are more or less neutral would probably be indifferent as to which flag(s), if any, are flown).

Question is, how many moderates and how many extremists are there ?

 

[Butts]

One way you could sum up the situation

If the Union Flag and Irish Tricolour were flown side by side it would appease moderates on both sides but antagonise extremists on both sides. (Anybody whose views are more or less neutral would probably be indifferent as to which flag(s), if any, are flown).

Question is, how many moderates and how many extremists are there ?

Why should you fly an Irish Tricolour in Belfast ? - do they fly the Union Flag in Dublin !!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

As some people over there seem to have a strong allegiance to the House of Orange, it seems strange that they have never flown the particular flag that is called The Royal Standard of the Netherlands.

 

[Eagle]

Why should you fly an Irish Tricolour in Belfast ?

Many, many people do.

 

[Butts]

Many, many people do.

Yes indeed particularly in the working class areas such as The Falls Road where residents are incapable of independent thought as are the other side on The Shankhill Road with regard to the flying of various flags.

In Middle Class areas even at the height of the troubles Catholics and Protestants lived side by side with few problems. I used to go out with a girl from Newtownabbey in the eighties.

 

[DarloRich]

I am not going to respond to this thread in any detail as I will be banned.

My view is that the Union Flag should fly above all public buildings in The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

 

[Oswyntail]

1) The decision to remove the flag was unintelligible and insensitive. As has been said, the reaction should have been predictable.
2) Why do it at this time of year, when we are getting into the heavy drinking season, and everyone is getting a little over-excited anyway?
Put together, that does suggest to me it was either a) a deliberate attempt to stir up trouble or b) a cock-up. In NI either is possible.

 

[Cliveblackpool]

Try taking down the American National flag in the USA probably bring the whole country to a standstill!!!

 

[Greenback]

As far as I know, there is not really a serious movement in any part of the US to break away from the union, therefore flags are far less controversial and everyone is happy for the stars and stripes to be flown everywhere.

 

[Eagle]

As far as I know, there is not really a serious movement in any part of the US to break away from the union, therefore flags are far less controversial and everyone is happy for the stars and stripes to be flown everywhere.

Ever been to Texas? :P

 

[Greenback]

That's about as serious as an independent Yorkshire!

 

[DarloRich]

That's about as serious as an independent Yorkshire!

I think you mean the Peoples Democratic Republic of Yorkshire!

 

[Greenback]

Yes, sorry about that, no offence!